Child of the Moon
by Alexandra989
Summary: AU. Bitten by what she originally thought was a dog, Roxy's life takes a turn for the worse when she is turned into a creature of the night. How will her friends react? How will she be able to return her life to normal? But before she could do anything, strange things begin happening in Magix and familiar villains show up. What will the Winx and Roxy make of it?
1. Bitten

**This is completely AU.**

* * *

Roxy sprinted down the deserted hallway, making a beeline for the library, hoping it was close to empty. Her feet grinned to a halt as she reached the double doors and she quietly entered, surveying the gigantic room. There were only several fairies, the studious ones, who had decided to stay back in Alfea's library instead of hanging out with their friends on that day. Good. Roxy scurried across the room to an empty table in a corner, where she dropped her bag onto her chair and made her way to the shelves.

"Magical creatures, magical creatures..." she muttered under her breath, browsing through the 'M' section, running a finger down the spine of almost every book. Mermaids, kelpies, dragons, Cyclops and various beasts with odd names, but there was nothing there that met her needs. About to give up, she finally spotted a leather-bound tome in a dusty corner of the shelf. Just as she was about to pick it up, brush the dust off and see if it was anything she was looking for, the bite mark on her wrist itched ever so slightly. Instinctively, she reached up to it, and her mind flashed back to what had happened the previous night.

#

Saturday night couldn't come fast enough for the mostly-teenage students of the three schools of magic in Magix. It was pretty normal, given the fact that Saturday nights were all about clubbing, meeting up with potential soul mates and hanging out with friends.

"Hurry up, Stella!" called Bloom, slightly annoyed by her best friend's usual wardrobe issues. As much as they loved Stella, there were quirks of hers that the Winx sometimes wished they wouldn't have to put up with.

"I'm coming!" the fairy called back, finally picking out the 'perfect outfit'. Roxy was on her knees, trying to search for an equally perfect pair of shoes for the fashionable fairy for the sake of the Winx's time. She finally grabbed a pair and tossed it up to Stella who pulled them on and strutted into the living room. "What do you think?" she asked, striking a pose for them.

Bloom rolled her eyes but couldn't contain a smile. Musa, Tecna and Layla were already on their way out of the door, muttering something about 'being late'. They hurried out and left Alfea, headed to Magix in a bus.

"Wow, looks like a lot of people are here," remarked Tecna, surveying the designated meeting spot, a club with a live band playing and plenty of students their age hanging about, chatting, laughing and gossiping with their friends. They spotted the Specialists who were seated at one of the tables closest to the stage, much to Musa's delight.

"Five minutes late," Brandon commented, checking his watch. "Not bad, Stella." They shared a kiss. The other girls embraced their boyfriends while Roxy and Aisha merely took a seat. Roxy glanced over at the dark-haired fairy and noticed that her cheerful countenance had been shadowed by a sorrowful expression. She reached out and took the fairy's hand, giving it a little squeeze. Aisha shot her a small, appreciative smile.

"Hey, Roxy," a voice spoke in her ear as someone nudged her. Roxy turned. It was Bloom. "Look over there." The red-head winked before turning back to her blonde knight in shining armour.

Roxy turned, confused, to look in the direction Bloom had been indicating, and her cheeks immediately turned a deep shade of red as she singled out Manuel from a group of second-year Specialists. Her mind flashed back to the last time they had met and she began to feel nervous. She couldn't approach anyone in a nervous state.

"I'll be right back," Roxy said to Aisha, who didn't seem to hear her. Roxy hurried towards the exit, hoping to compose herself, and stepped out into the chilly night air. She walked down the street which was still filled with cars and people and turned into an alley. She could still see the street from where she was. She leaned against the wall, drawing in deep breaths, trying to pull herself together, but all the while thinking of her newfound love interest. But the images vanished as soon as her animal senses picked up on the presence of a creature. She turned and spotted two gleaming yellow eyes looking at her from the darkness. She could make out the faint outline of the rest of the anatomy and noted it to be that of a dog's. Glad she hadn't brought Artu along that night as he would've flown at the animal given his first chance, she got to her knees and held out her hand towards the dog.

"Don't worry," she whispered. "I'm a friend. I'm the fairy of animals and I won't hurt you." The creature didn't budge, and merely continued staring at her. She inched towards it. It didn't move either. "I'm a friend," she repeated. For a moment, she wondered what the dog was doing there, whether it had an owner and if it was hurt.

What happened next happened much too quickly for her to process. The dog flew at her and bit her hard on the wrist of her outstretched arm. The pain was excruciating and she felt as though her bones were on fire. Roxy let out a scream, one that didn't go unheard as several people from the street rushed down the alley towards her. The creature turned and fled. As Roxy watched it go, panting, it seemed to just disappear into the darkness.

"What happened?" a girl called, her tone laced with worry.

"Are you alright, miss?" A man's voice.

"I'm fine..." she spoke, in barely a whisper, her energy drained. She got to her feet. "I'm fine," she repeated. Covering up the bite mark, feeling blood seeping out of it, she reassured the two concerned folks that she had been frightened by something she must've imagined. She thanked them for their concern and only when they were out of sight and earshot, did she check her wrist. In the darkness, it was barely visible. Doing her best to cover it up without looking suspicious, Roxy hurried back to the club, where she raced in and headed straight for the female bathroom, oblivious to Manuel's voice calling after her. She hoped no blood had dripped onto the streets or the floor of the club on her way back there. Judging from the patrons' unchanged behaviour, they had not noticed anything.

The bathroom was quiet and deserted. As the door swung shut behind her, muffling the sounds of the music and merry-making going on in the club, Roxy stepped into one of the cubicles, lest someone should enter at any moment and notice the mark on her wrist.

There was something so strange and out-of-place about the dog and the bite. She sat on the toilet seat and glanced down at the incision which was bleeding and touched it cautiously. Back in Gardenia, Roxy had had quite a reputation among the townsfolk for her interactions with animals. They were amazed by how she could calm a wild dog, how she understood all their pets, even ones that kids her age usually refrain from touching such as pet lizards and chameleons. Once or twice, she would be approached by a pet owner who wanted their pet trained. Usually it would be a dog. Roxy recalled a time when a particularly big man came to her with an equally big dog of his who had bitten him twice. The bite mark had been a large, terrifying one, and Roxy remembered it vividly, but it was nothing compared to what she now sported. And the creature had bit her precisely at the wrist, causing a blood flow that she found hard to staunch at that moment. Using a little magic, she got her blood to clot faster than usual, and watched as it stopped flowing. Was the dog trying to kill her? Why would it? What had she done? Wasn't she the fairy of animals? Animals were supposed to love her, not attack her for no apparent reason.

Roxy's pulse accelerated as a heart-breaking realisation dawned on her; the dog had not been a dog at all.

**I know it might not be good and I might have messed up some facts, but please review and let me know what you think! And whether I should continue... Thanks for reading! **


	2. Turning

Tears streaming down her cheeks, hoping the creature hadn't been what she thought it was, and praying there was a cure for it and an easy way out, Roxy flipped open the book she had acquired from the shelf in the library. She was glad it was a Sunday which meant the library would be close to deserted so no one could see her looking troubled. She didn't dare borrow the book, afraid it might suspicions as first-years had not begun learning about werewolves yet. Roxy just had the thought that it could've been a werewolf as all the stories of them she had read when she was on earth flooded her mind. And who knows what else might happen if she tried to borrow the volume; like accidentally drawing back her sleeve and revealing the incision to the librarian? The whole school would find out if that happened and goodness knows what could happen to her.

Roxy ran a finger down the list of contents. On the table in a corner of the library, Roxy had before her a dusty, ancient volume on creatures of the night. Her finger came to rest beneath the word, 'Werewolves'. Noting the page number, she began to flip through the book, seeking it. Upon finding it, she could only stare momentarily at the picture on the page. An old drawing of a large wolf, standing on its hind legs, howling at a full moon hanging in a dark night sky. Roxy's heart thudded in her chest. Was that what she was going to be? Fear and panic rose inside her. She shuddered at the thought.

Her eyes scanned the page, searching for a keyword. She spotted it on the following page. 'Bite marks'. Several pictures followed the heading. Apprehensively, Roxy placed her wrist on the book, just above one of the pictures and slid back her sleeve slowly, dread filling her. Her next breath intake was a sharp one as she saw the resemblance. It was so similar the picture in the book might as well have been a drawing of the incision on her wrist. Roxy sat back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling of the library, trying to calm herself. She took deep breaths before returning to the book. It was a pure living nightmare. If she couldn't find a cure, her life was going to be a pure living nightmare. She continued reading, and to her surprise, the facts actually intrigued her.

"So, only when the scar heals will I experience a transformation," she muttered to herself, before looking at the mark. "And then every full moon, I will be turned into a werewolf." Roxy shut her eyes for a moment before turning back to the book. A few parts gave her hope like there would be no transformation if the person's blood isn't healthy though the person would bear the ugly scar for life. Roxy didn't mind that. She could always claim it was a dog bite. Anyone would believe her.

But as far as she knew, she was quite healthy.

#

Lying in a fetal position on her bed, Roxy glanced at the time on the digital clock resting on her bedside table. It was going to be dark soon. Roxy's eyes roved over to the scar on her wrist. She could barely see it. It was almost completely healed. Roxy turned onto her back, staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom, listening to the voices of the girls she shared the dormitory with floating in from the living room. She had to leave them.

Scrambling out of bed, Roxy made her way out of the room and left the dormitory. The other girls were oblivious, and she was thankful for that. She didn't have many friends among them, and preferred to stick with the Winx, plus, some of the girls were jealous that she got to mingle with the Winx and was their friend and maybe, even one of them. They were jealous when her arrival had been announced on her first day at Alfea. And Roxy didn't want to have anything to do with those who were jealous of her.

She left the school grounds, and took a bus to Magix. She would be punished for breaking curfew, that was certain, and she wondered how she could explain herself. The bus pulled to a halt at a stop in central Magix and she alighted, before clambering into another one which was empty. The bus driver was a man in his early thirties who winked at her. "Where to, miss?" he asked.

Roxy shot him a glare, recognizing the tone. "This is a bus, not a cab, I'm sure you know where I'm heading," she snapped, settling into a seat. A card on the bus clearly stated that it went to places such as the Black Mud Swamp or the woods on the outskirts of Magix, where Roxy was heading. The bus drove off. Roxy felt a little insecure.

"Please speed up," she commanded.

The bus driver smiled in a way that gave her the creeps. "This is a bus, little girl, not a taxi."

Roxy felt a ripple of anger, but merely remained silent. She looked out of the window at the passing sights. The people of Magix were about their Tuesday night routines, some looking cheerful while others bore harassed looks. The healed scar began to itch slightly. Roxy scratched it, but the itch didn't go away. Panicked, she glanced out of the window, noticing that darkness had fallen. But she was relieved to see that they were reaching the woods.

"What's a pretty student like you doing out here at this hour? Shouldn't you be in school?" asked the bus driver, putting a lot of emphasis on 'pretty' and 'student'. Roxy couldn't help wondering if rapes occurred in the magical dimension. Wouldn't the girls be able to defend themselves with magic? She wondered if the driver could secretly be a wizard or a magician of some sort.

Without answering, Roxy paid her fare and alighted. She scurried across the grassy land, heading for the woods, but not hearing the bus leaving behind her. She turned to see the driver walking casually towards her. Scared, she sped up her pace, but he quickened his steps as well. Finally breaking into a run, she tore into the woods, and he began to chase after her.

There was no one to call for help in the woods. She kept running till she reached a lake, where she dropped to her knees, exhausted. How stupid of her! Couldn't she just transform? She turned and her heart skipped a beat as she noticed the man advancing on her.

"Stop right there or you'll regret it," she commanded, but there was a hint of fear in her voice which gave her away. A regular bus driver in Magix would know better than to attack a fairy student. He was probably learned in the magical arts as well. He grinned evilly. Roxy knew she had to transform immediately, but before she could, the clouds parted to reveal a full moon, the light from which was reflected in the lake and illuminated that part of the woods. And Roxy didn't need her fairy form or powers anymore.

Just as the driver stepped up to her and tried to touch her, Roxy felt a sharp pain surge through her body, very much like the first sensation when she was bitten, only it was twice as painful. She couldn't help crying out as she was brought to her knees. The driver took a step back, surveying her, for a moment, glad to see she was going to be submissive, before realising what was happening to her. His lustful stare changed to one of fright. Long fur began to grow from her skin as her hands and feet turned into paws. Her nails elongated and broadened, sharpening into talons. Her facial features were transformed as well, turning to that of a wolf's. The transformation was long and painful and the more complete it became, the deeper Roxy's voice grew. Soon, it was turned from a cry of anguish to an angry growl.

A human-like wolf stood in the place of the student fairy, all her features transformed save for her eyes which glowed. Anyone who knew who looked into those eyes would recognise her, but the driver only knew that the girl was, in a way, cursed. He turned and ran.

The creature hit the ground, chasing after him, advancing quickly, and finally, pouncing. Ignoring the pleas, the creature had its first meal since its transformation. After licking up the evidence and digging a hole where the bones were buried, the werewolf sped through the woods and ran up a hill. At the peak, from where the full moon could clearly be seen, it howled for the first time.

**Again, I might have messed up some facts. Also, since this is AU, do you think I should incorporate villains like the Wizards of the Black Circle (because of Duman)? Review and let me know! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Awakening

Dappled sunlight shone through the trees of the woods, creating mysterious shadows. Birdsong filled the air as the daw dawned, crisp and clear. A light breeze swept through the woods, rustling the leaves of the trees. It was all very serene.

Roxy could hear the birds. As clearly as though they were chirping directly into her ear. And she could definitely feel the heat of the early morning sun on her skin in a way she had never felt before. Her eyes flew open and the first thing she saw ahead of her was grass and soil. Slowly, she sat up, feeling a little stiff from the chill in the air. Surveying her surroundings, she tried to remember what had happened the previous night that had led her to end up in that place.

"The woods?" she muttered, confused, as she recognised the place. What was she doing in the woods?

She hurriedly got to her feet and brushed herself off. Her clothes, hands and hair were dirtied with earth. Upon standing up, she felt a little wobbly. Steadying herself against the trunk of a tree, she tried hard to remember what happened the previous night. A few images flashed in her mind, but none of them seem to make sense.

Instinctively, she took a deep breath. The scent of the soil, the leaves of the tree and even the stench of the woodland animals filled her senses. She was quite amazed. How had her sense of smell develop so much? And then she happened to glance down at the spot on her wrist where a scar used to be and then the events of the previous night came rushing back to her.

The moon. Running on all fours. Pleas, screams and yells. Silence. Liquid and solid. Back on all fours, and then the moon again. And then just tearing through the woods, feeding on unsuspecting animal victims.

For a moment, she was stunned. Then she broke down.

Burying her face in her hands and feeling the tears leak through the cracks between her fingers, Roxy was reminded of the time when she discovered she was a fairy. Or more like coerced into accepting that she was a fairy. Her life had been turned upside-down. She could not accept it at first. It just seemed so crazy. But this was crazier. It would seem that fate didn't want her to have a normal life at all. Not even as a fairy. Roxy didn't know how long she sobbed, but by the time she stopped, the birdsong had ended.

It was a little strange, Roxy thought. Why didn't the birds do anything? She was the fairy of animals, and usually when she felt upset, animals were there to comfort her. They shared a very emotional bond. Roxy looked up at several birds perched in a nearby tree. They were watching her. And as the fairy of animals, she could sense what they were feeling. Disgust.

Then she recalled. She had devoured several animals the previous night. They've lost their trust in her.

"It wasn't me..." she tried to speak. The birds flew away. She could only watch them go.

Drying her tears, the fairy of animals tried to come up with a plan. It was almost midday. There was no way she could go back to Alfea. First of all, she would be punished for breaking curfew, and then for staying out all night. That would probably earn her a whole month worth of detention. Her thoughts wandered over to the school, her lessons, her friends. They would probably be having Spellology. Her heart sank as she thought about it. Would she ever be able to go back? Would they accept her? Or would they shun her? Roxy didn't know much about the relationship between werewolves and fairies. Judging from their differences, it probably wasn't good.

Maybe she could go to Magix. Talk to someone about werewolves and see how they reacted. Or perhaps she could confide in someone and get some help. Find a cure. Find a way to prevent her from ever turning again. It seemed like the best plan, but she feared the local authorities would show up and march her back to Alfea, assuming she was playing truant. By then, she was sure someone at Alfea would've reported her disappearance to the headmistress. She could only imagine the Winx, all so worked up and worried, fearing for her safety. Would they try to contact her? Then a thought crossed her mind. Perhaps she could confide in the Winx. They were her closest friends after all. Perhaps they wouldn't shun her even if others did.

That reassured her, but it still didn't solve the main problem. How was she going to get out of the woods?

#

Another lesson of Winxology came to an end. Bloom felt satisfied as she watched the students file out of the classroom, talking nineteen to the dozen, all looking happy and excited. There were times when being a teacher was just plain stressful, but to see such happy smiles on the students' faces was worth it all.

"When's the next class, Bloom?" Flora asked, turning to her friend.

Bloom checked the timetable. "We have two periods free, and then a class with the first-years," the fairy responded. Flora broke into a smile.

"We can see Roxy again!" she enthused. She had taken quite a liking to the young fairy.

The six girls prepared to leave the then-empty classroom, but before they could, a young timid fairy entered, blocking their way. "I'm sorry," she began, looking up nervously at the senior fairies. "I come here with a message from the headmistress."

"Speak," Stella commanded, earning her a glare from Musa, Tecna and Aisha. Bloom placed a hand on her friend's shoulder before approaching the young student. "What is it?" she asked, in a gentler tone.

"The headmistress wants to see you in her office," the girl spoke. "I think it has something to do with your seventh member, the fairy of animals. I think her name is Roxy."

Bloom nodded. "Thank you," she said, before turning to the Winx as the fairy ran off. "Well, you heard her. We have to get down to the headmistress's office."

"What do you think happened to Roxy?" wondered Flora, worried, as they exited the classroom and brisk-walked to the office. "Headmistress Faragonda wouldn't call us all to her office if it wasn't something serious."

The six girls arrived outside the office and were ordered to enter after knocking. They filed in, one by one and sat opposite the headmistress at her desk. Faragonda had on a severe look. "Winx, have you seen Roxy?" she asked, before they could say anything.

The fairies exchanged glances. "Not since yesterday, why?" Musa responded. Then it dawned upon her. Her eyes widened. "She's not missing, is she?"

The headmistress stood up and walked over to the window behind the desk, overlooking Alfea's great courtyard. "I'm not so sure," she said. "A student came to report to me early this morning that Roxy left the school yesterday night, at around five to six in the evening, and didn't return at all the whole night. And she was not around this morning. Her bed has not been slept in, her clothes have not been touched, her books are still in place." At this point, the Winx were all stunned, shocked and worried. They merely stared at the headmistress, wide-eyed, hanging on to her every word. "We are very concerned," the headmistress went on, sliding back into her seat. "There have not been many cases in Magix, but we fear Roxy might have gotten involved in one of them. She's just a young, unaccomplished fairy after all."

"You mean..." Flora choked. "You mean to say that there is a possibility that Roxy might've been kidnapped?"

Faragonda's look became even more severe. "Perhaps," she said. "But you never know what could've happened. Far worse things could have befallen her. But do not worry, I have sent a note to the local authorities and they've circulated a picture of her, and almost everyone in Magix who is out of doors today will be searching for her."

**I've decided to incorporate the wizards into this. Thanks for reading and please review!**


	4. Run

Roxy finally stepped out onto the streets of Magix, warily eying the citizens who walked past. She stood in the shadows of an alley, her senses alert. She was able to sniff out the scents and odours of every citizen that walked past the alley, differentiate them all, and filed them away in her mind. She was scared of her new ability, but ignored it for the moment. She had to get somewhere safe without being caught by the authorities and charged for playing truant.

Roxy squared her shoulders, tried her best to appear tall, before stepping out of the alley. She walked at the same pace as the citizens of Magix, acting as nonchalant as she could, and all the while keeping an eye out for places she could hide in till night came. She didn't want to Alfea yet, not during the day. When night came, she would, if she didn't turn into a wolf again. If she did, she would just have to wait till the following night.

The citizens of Magix's lifestyles were too hectic for them to notice her. Roxy made it all the way down the street and turned down a corner, but her luck ran out at that moment. A citizen cried out, pointing right at her, "That's her! The student! How can you not see her there?"

Roxy knew it was foolish, but she hit the road running, unsure where to go. Several citizens who were fortunate enough not to be a part of the hectic lifestyle gave chase, and they were faster than her. As she panted and puffed after about a mile, she was reminded of the time when she had to run from the wizards. It seemed like a thousand years back. She cast a quick look over her shoulder to see that several citizens were hot on her trails. The people she rushed by tried to grab her, but she managed to avoid them. Most merely watched, too busy to care. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, contributing a little more speed to her sprint. Roxy considered transforming, but it would only invoke the citizens to use magic, if they had any.

A spell went flying over her head, missing her hair by inches. Perhaps not.

The fairy of animals shot a spell at the citizens who were chasing them, knocking them back, much to the horror of the watching citizens. She took a sharp turn and darted down an alley, but she hadn't reached the end when the ground opened up beneath her and she fell through.

#

"What?!" all of them cried in unison, in a state of utter disbelief.

Headmistress Faragonda's expression was as grim as it had been before. "The report came from the citizens. They ran after her, but she fled. They called the cops, but she was gone by the time they arrived. A citizen reported having seen her turn into an alley before she disappeared."

The Winx girls stared, open-mouthed, at the headmistress, unable to find the words to speak. "B-But why?" asked Bloom. "Why would Roxy flee?"

"Most importantly, why would she leave Alfea? It doesn't make sense. She was so excited when she got the acceptance letter and she's been really happy," Tecna remarked. "It is simply illogical. Have you considered the fact that perhaps the girl they chased after was not Roxy but someone who looked like her?"

Faragonda nodded. "Indeed, I have. They sent me a description." Faragonda read it out loud. "Medium height, look to be in mid-teens, long mauve hair with yellow tips, dressed in a top with a paw on it. Wearing capris. Pink boots." She turned to the Winx. "Doesn't that sound like Roxy to you?"

"It doesn't sound like Roxy, it is her," Stella responded. "But i agree with Tecna for once, it seems weird to say that Roxy has left Alfea."

"And she just... vanished?" Musa added. "It doesn't add up."

Headmistress Faragonda turned back to the report. "Hm, there's something else in the description." The Winx perked up. "They noted that she had a little dirt in her hair and on her clothes. It looks as though the dirt had been brushed off, but not all have been completely eliminated." She set the report down and turned to the Winx. "Dirt. What can you girls make of that?"

The Winx exchanged looks. None had any clue. They mulled it over for several minutes before Flora spoke up. "I think I've got it, headmistress!" she said, interrupting the other Winx's train of thought. They all turned to her expectantly. "Dirt. Think of all the places where we could find dirt."

"Uh, everywhere actually," Stella said.

"Roxy had dirt on her clothes and in her hair," Flora pointed out. "That meant she must have been... rolling in some, don't you think?"

"Gosh, Flora, don't make Roxy sound like a pig!" said Stella.

"Pigs roll in the mud, Stella," Bloom corrected, and despite the situation, she couldn't help giggling.

"It's almost the same," Flora went on. "It could've been mud for all we know, but the citizen didn't get a really good glimpse of it. So, where do you think Roxy could've gathered the dirt from? Suggestions, anyone?"

"Rolling in a pigsty," Stella suggested.

"Someone dumped dirt on her?" Musa offered.

"She slept in some dirt? She slept on muddy grounds?" Tecna added.

Flora broke into a grin which took the Winx by surprise and the headmistress as well. "Slept in some dirt," Flora echoed. She looked from the headmistress to the Winx girls and back again. "Don't you see? She slept in the dirt. That's the best explanation! Can't you think of a place with dirt that you can sleep on?"

They shook their heads slowly. A few seconds passed and Flora was about to speak again when Layla spoke up. "Oh, Flora, you don't mean, the woods?"

The fairy of nature nodded, a huge smile on her face. The other Winx, however, did not share her enthusiasm. "I'm sorry, Flora, but it doesn't make sense," Bloom said. The nature fairy's smile faltered. "Why would Roxy run off to the woods?"

Faragonda looked deep in thought. "I can't say for sure that Flora's right," she said. "But it does give us a lead." The headmistress turned to the girls. "Can I trust you to track Roxy down? It's vital she returns to Alfea; we hardly ever have drop-outs, and this could smear our reputation. At the same time, it's a question of Roxy's safety. You should head to the woods and see if you can find anything."

The Winx nodded, understanding their newest mission, before leaving the office.

**This chapter may seem bad, but I just wanted a cliffhanger, so, sorry! :-( But thanks for reading and please review! **


	5. The Offer

Roxy yelped as her bottom struck terra firma. Her fingers touched cold, hard ground as she scrambled to her feet, eying her surroundings warily, panic and fear rising within her. The room she was in was circular, with a single window looking out onto treetops dotting the ground one level below. The brick walls were as cold as the floor, and the room was unfurnished save for faded red curtains which hung at the window, ripped in places. There was a wooden door, but upon trying to open it, the young fairy discovered it was locked.

"Okay, here goes nothing," Roxy muttered to herself as she took a step back and prepared to use magic to unlock the door. However, nothing happened. She tried again and again, making sure to enunciate the spell properly, but the door remained locked. Finally, she gave up and resorted to pounding on it, yelling at whoever had locked her in to let her out.

While she yelled, Roxy thought about what had happened. One second she was in an alley in Magix and the next thing she knew, she was in that weird room. The last thing she remembered was falling through the road, which was quite impossible, unless there had been some sort of invisible portal. She paused in her pounding and looked up at the ceiling, but there was nothing save for an expanse of grey, a lamp hanging from it. Roxy resumed pounding, but also resorted to her newly-developed heightened sense of smell and hearing to try to detect any signs of movements outside of the room she was in.

She sniffed out the familiar scent of the woods. This building, or whatever it was, was located in the woods. The same woods as the one she stayed been in the previous night, judging from the smell. She strained her ears, but didn't hear anything save for the sound of the wind rustling the leaves of the trees.

Then she heard it. Footsteps. Soft, but she was quite certain they were there. She pounded harder than ever on the door. "Open up!" she yelled. "Open up now and let me go! I know you're there!"

Someone took hold of the knob on the other side and pulled open the door. Roxy stood in the doorway, slightly stunned, as she was welcomed by the sight of the woods. Slowly, she stepped out, before recovering and looking around for whoever it was who had freed her. She spotted him behind the door, slamming it shut, leaning against the wooden wall of a house in the woods.

"No..." Roxy trailed off, finding herself at a loss for words. Finally, she turned and took off, racing with what energy she had left, through the woods, away from the wooden house. She knew it was a foolish attempt when he caught up with her and the magical ropes wound their way around her slim figure, binding her. She fell to the ground and glared up at him.

"There's no need to run or be afraid, Roxy," Duman spoke. Roxy couldn't believe her eyes nor her ears.

"You are dead!" she finally screamed out. "Nabu killed you and you are dead!"

Duman smiled. "Any wizard of the Black Circle has his own ways to survive."

Roxy's eyebrows furrowed as she struggled against the ropes binding her, but knew there was no escaping them. The injustice of it all nearly made her cry tears of anger. Nabu killed Duman before he was killed by Ogron. But the shapeshifter stood before her, as large as live and very much alive, like an insult to Nabu's memory. He lifted her bound form with magic and brought her back to the wooden house, where she was thrown back into the circular room, but there was someone else there.

"Who are you?" Roxy spat at the dark-haired guy standing by the window. He reminded her of Helia.

"My name's Karel. I'm a friend of Flora's," he said, nonchalantly. "You're a friend of hers, too, aren't you?" He sounded kind, despite the tone Roxy had used.

"How do you know her?" the fairy asked, not so harshly as she had done earlier, as she heard Duman enter the room. Karel's gaze shifted momentarily from her to the wizard and back to her.

"We met a few years back, when she and her friends were on a mission."

The door swung shut. Roxy looked over her shoulder to see Duman walking up to her. She panicked and turned back to Karel. "What's going on here? What do you want with me?" she fired those questions at him, a pleading look on her face. She doubted Duman would ever let her go if she begged but perhaps, this Karel, would, especially since he was a friend of Flora's. "Why is he here? Do you know him?" She jerked her head back at Duman, before hearing the wizard snap his fingers and the ropes binding her vanished. She leapt to her feet, but the wizard casually moved in her way, blocking the door.

"Where are you going to go, Roxy?" he asked, in a tone and voice that infuriated her. He laughed at her obvious annoyance. "No one wants you anymore. Not after what you've become."

Her eyes widened, and she took a step back. "What are you talking about?" she yelled.

"You think we don't know a wolf when we see one?" the wizard continued. Roxy realised what they were talking about and her desire to get out of that place and far away from them grew stronger. She rushed forwards towards the door, but Karel grabbed her from the back.

"Listen to him, Roxy," he commanded.

Duman didn't say anything, merely looked at the fairy. Roxy scowled. "Fine," she snapped, wrenching her hands from Karel's grasp. "I was bitten by one and now I'm one of them. Happy?" As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks. She fought them back. She could not display any weakness, not in front of the wizard.

"One of us," Karel gently corrected. Roxy spun round to face him.

"What? Y- You are... a werewolf, as well?" she asked, stunned. Karel merely nodded. There was a short pause before Roxy continued, "Did Flora know?"

Karel looked a little melancholic. "Yes, unfortunately," he responded, his voice dropping an octave. "She found out the hard way." Roxy's eyes widened slightly at those words, before she turned back to Duman.

"So, why am I here?"

"You're here because you're one of us," Duman said. "I'm not a werewolf, Roxy, but you do know I'm a shapeshifter, a wizard of animals, and it have a connection with them. Just like you do. Only yours have just recently grown stronger. You're here because Karel and I want you with us."

Roxy laughed, much to the dark-haired boy's surprise and Duman's scorn. "Okay," she said, trying to pull herself together. "First, back on Earth, you were trying to capture me, drag me into the black circle because I was an essential ingredient in your pursuit of world domination. Now, you're saying you want me to be a part of your circle?" She gave Duman a weird look. "How do I know this is not a trick? And where are your brothers, anyway?"

"Oh, they're here," Duman responded, as chills ran down Roxy's spine as memories from the time the hunters were in hot pursuit of her flashed in her mind. "They're in the next room. They've been hiding here for some time now. After I heard what happened to them, I tried to get them out. The werewolves offered to help me, so now we're with them. Karel was kind enough to house them."

Roxy shut her eyes and shook her head. It had to be all part of a bad dream. She was going to wake up from it, to discover that she had never been bitten by a werewolf, and that the wizards were dead and there was no such person as a boy named Karel who knew Flora. She wished it would all go away. Once again, her mind flashed back to the time when she tried to convince herself fairies didn't exist. But it turned out they did and she was one of them. Now she was trying to convince herself that she wasn't in the company of a werewolf and a former nemesis who were trying to recruit her for their werewolf company as casually as though they were trying to recruit her for a basketball team. Roxy opened her eyes and looked up at the wizard, directly into his cold dark eyes. She had to stop pretending.

"So what are you going to do to me?"

"It's not a matter of what we're going to do to you, it's about what we're about to do with you," Duman said, putting emphasis on the words 'to' and 'with'. He smiled sinisterly at Roxy. "We'll train you. We'll teach you everything you need to know about being a werewolf. How to control yourself, how to be the wolf, how to be aware you're the wolf. How to accept it. And ultimately, how to control your transformations. Don't you want that as well? But, it's your choice."

Roxy wasn't sure what to say or do. For a moment, she just stood there, staring at the two of them. Then she transformed into a her fairy form.

"Forget it!" she yelled, blasting the door with all her might. It burst open, much to her surprise. She had guessed the reason she couldn't unlock it earlier was due to a spell Duman had placed on it, but it seemed to have gone. She flew right out and away from the wooden cabin, her pulse accelerating, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She had to get as far away as possible. She daren't look back, but something told her that no one was chasing her. After she had travelled what seemed to be a mile, she finally glanced over her shoulder. The cabin had gone out of sight, but no one had gone after her. She was alone.

"That's weird," she murmured under her breath, before turning back to face the front, expecting an ambush, but there was nothing. The woods around her rang with the sounds of nature, but there wasn't a single sound depicting footsteps pounding on the ground, racing after her or the wind being unsettled by a figure flying through the air, headed towards her. Roxy finally decided to just get back to Magix.

#

"So, tell us what happened," Headmistress Faragonda spoke sternly, a severe look directed at the meek fairy seated before her.

Roxy felt the eyes of the the headmistress on her, boring into her soul. "I went to the woods one evening, because I suddenly remembered that I might have left something there from a previous visit, something that I crucially needed at that moment, but hadn't realised was missing till then. I didn't take Artu with me because I figured it would be just a short trip. While I was searching I suddenly felt really tired. I was actually already feeling exhausted before that, but like I told you, it was crucial I got my hands on that thing I left. Then I..."

"What is this item you left in the woods?" the headmistress questioned, suspicious.

Roxy hadn't quite figured that out. "It was a book, headmistress," she hurriedly said, a book being the first object that crossed her mind. "I had bought it from a bookstore in Magix some time ago, went through it a little, bringing it with me to several places I went, including the woods. I accidentally left it there. I remembered some stuff that were in it, and then I was assigned homework which I had out off till that day. When I tried to do it, despite being tired and all, I realised that the answers to some of the questions were in that book. I searched for it, but it was not there so I tried to remember where I had last put it. And..." Faragonda raised a hand and she was silenced.

"Very well, it's a book. You were exhausted. Then?

Roxy heaved an inaudible sigh of relief. "My head was spinning, so I rested for a moment beneath a tree. I think I must've dozed off."

Faragonda nodded, the severe look still etched on her face. "So you went to sleep. And you didn't wake up till the next morning. What happened next?"

"I was afraid to come back here, as I was afraid if I went to Magix, I would be caught by the authorities for playing truant, which I wasn't," Roxy explained. "But finally, I did, and some citizens somehow recognised me and ran after me. I got afraid and hid in a back alley. They didn't find me. Then I realised I should be getting back to Alfea, so I decided to transform and fly back here. I didn't transform earlier because I didn't want to prompt them to use magic to capture me."

"They knew who you were because we alerted them," Faragonda said. "We were worried, Roxy. Right now, as we speak, the Winx are in the woods with Artu, searching for you. I should call them back. For now, you may go."

Roxy thanked the headmistress and got to her feet, trembling slightly, guilt filling her. She had just told the largest lie ever. She could never forgive herself. But how could she ever tell the headmistress what had truly happened? She had to find out something first.

The library was her next destination. Instead of going through the books, Roxy searched through newspaper and magazine articles, searching for werewolves. She finally found an article on them, from a magazine and went through it briefly. It shook her even more.

_Werewolves are cold-blooded murderers...they deserve to be killed... the magic dimension hates werewolves... _

Shaking, Roxy replaced the article and sat down at one of the desks. She had done the right thing by not revealing herself to the headmistress And now, she wasn't sure if she could execute her original plan to confide in the Winx. What if they thought the same of werewolves despite the fact that one of their friends was one? Roxy thought of Flora. Perhaps the fairy of nature would understand, after having confronted one before. But she didn't dare. She didn't want to take any risks.

Duman's offer replayed itself in her mind as she went to bed that night. The Winx had returned, after being called back by the headmistress, but with nothing to report. Apparently, they hadn't searched much as Artu was acting rather strange. As Roxy lay in her warm bed, dreading the next full moon, she heard soft growling sounds and peered down to see Artu, who usually slept by her bed, baring his teeth at her. Instinctively, she sent him out. As her head touched her pillow, she pondered on what was happening to her. She had changed. Her old self wouldn't send Artu out. Her old self wouldn't tell a blatant lie.

And the wizards. They were alive. Would they pose a threat to the Winx? She hoped not, or else, her cover was bound to be blown, for she was certain Duman had informed them of her current status. The events of the day replayed themselves, Duman's voice echoing in her troubled mind and Roxy didn't sleep a wink that night.

**Karel is not an OC, he's from one of the Winx comics (maybe episode 13?) Thanks for reading and please review!**


	6. Second Attack

Roxy was certain she had made the right choice by turning down Duman's offer. A month had passed since that nightmarish encounter and her life had returned to normal. Lessons at Alfea, tests, friends and weekends at the White Horse with the Winx and Specialists, she managed to push it all to the back of her mind to be forgotten.

The full moon hung in the sky, partially obscured by dark clouds. The dining hall was abuzz with chatter as the student fairies of Alfea took their seats and exchanged gossip while waiting for dinner to be served. Roxy entered with a group of first-year fairies, spotted the Winx at their table and hurried over, oblivious to the glares several jealous fairies were throwing in her direction. Not many fairies got to mingle with the Winx, save for during Winxology class, and the huge Winx fans were ultimately envious of Roxy, who seemed to be considered one of their best pals.

"Tomorrow is Saturday, Roxy, will you be coming to the White Horse with us?" asked Stella, sounding excited. She was definitely thinking of Brandon.

Roxy shrugged and shot them a smile while ladling some of the soup that had been served into her bowl. "Sure, why not?" she responded, trying not to recall one of the previous Saturday nights with the Winx when her life had been turned upside down by what she had assumed to be a dog. Instead, she filled her mind with memories from their outing the previous week. "What about at night? Do the Specialists have plans?"

Tecna checked her cellphone. "Yes, Timmy mentioned they're taking us out to dinner at a classy restaurant in Magix. Doesn't that sound great?" she enthused.

"A classy restaurant?" Roxy smiled, as dinner was served. "Wouldn't that be a little too steep for their pockets? Or our pockets?"

"Relax, Roxy, they must've gotten their hands on some free passes or something," Tecna concluded, as they tucked in.

That night, Roxy couldn't shake off the sense that something was wrong with her. She felt restless, her senses were even more honed than usual and she was suddenly craving for meat. She knew it was a full moon night, but in her desperate attempt to forget everything and return to a normal life, she didn't acknowledge the fact that she was about to undergo another transformation.

She couldn't really afford to think about that at the moment. There were tests coming up, and early in the month due to all the new stress she was enduring, trying to shake off the fact that she was now a werewolf, she hadn't exactly been catching up on her studies. She was about to rethink Stella's offer before deciding to take a book to the White Horse the previous day and perhaps study by the lake or something. That sounded good. The last thing she thought about as her head touched her pillow and she drifted off to sleep was the White Horse cafe.

#

The bus was packed with students from all three schools of magic in Magix, till it had to be extended over four times its original size and length. Of course, that was only the interior. The exterior remained the same. The Winx and Roxy walked down the aisle to the back of the bus where they slid into vacant seats near each other and tried to tune out the chatter all around them.

As Roxy watched the streets of Magix flash by, her mind couldn't help wandering back to the previous night. She remembered she had fallen asleep. That should be a good sign, shouldn't it? At the moment, she also could not stomach why she had been so excited about this outing to the White Horse. She remembered having vivid dreams of it the previous night.

Roxy merely stood to the side with Layla as the Winx embraced their boyfriends and fiances. Their table at the White Horse, one of the biggest in the cafes and almost always empty, was soon occupied by them. Bloom was no longer working there, as her newfound family in Domino could afford to finance the costs of her education. Roxy glanced at Musa. The fairy of music had been given a scholarship by the school, but she still had to work at her enterprise to sustain herself.

Miss Greta came over to take their orders. "Hey, have you seen Charlie?" she asked, referring to one of the waiters at the cafe. "He mentioned he was coming to check on things yesterday, but I don't see him around."

Bloom shook her head. "Haven't seen him, sorry," she responded. Miss Greta nodded, before hurrying off, looking slightly worried.

The day kicked off to a good start. There was the usual chatter and jokes, with smoothies and milkshakes and then a walk along the pier. Roxy walked with Layla, but didn't find herself really enjoying it as the fairy of Morphix seemed lost in her own world, a world where Nabu was still alive.

Just then, a scream shattered the peace and serenity of the lakeside, startling the Winx and the Specialists and several customers at the White Horse. They turned to see an Alfea student, perfectly frightened and hysterical, running out from behind a clump of bushes, eyes so wide open they looked almost ready to pop out and she was sweating profusely. Several customers ran to her aid, trying to calm her down. The Winx and the Specialists hurried over.

"What happened?" Flora voiced the question that was on their minds. The customers parted as Flora knelt down beside the girl, whom Roxy recognised to be a first-year from her class, and gave her some calming tea she had magically conjured up. The girl breathed normally again, and managed to pull herself together. The fairy of nature helped her to her feet and stepped back. They coaxed her to sit down on one of the benches and tell them what she had seen.

"It's... it's..." she began. "It's... frightening. Like something from a nightmare. It looks... happened recently..." She trailed off, shuddering, before pointing at the clump of bushes from which she had emerged from earlier.

Drawing out their weapons, the Specialists edged towards the bushes, cautiously, but the fairy called out, "It's dead." They turned momentarily, before continuing on their way to the bush, slightly faster, as the fairies stayed behind with the scared fairy. Riven marched on ahead of them and stepped into the bushes, looked around, before turning back to them, wide-eyed. "Guys, you have to see this."

Roxy could sniff out a familiar scent in the air, coming from the bushes. She felt a strong urge to hurry over and see what it was, but managed to plant her feet to the ground and stay where she was.

As the Specialists neared the bush, a strong stench greeted their smell receptors. Identifying it, they exchanged looks of horror before peering round the bush. As they suspected, they saw a badly mutilated corpse of a man. His limbs had been ripped from his body and seemed to be strewn all over behind the clump of bushes, as though someone had tossed them in there in an attempt to hide them. The ground was stained with blood and so were what was left of the man's clothes.

"Who could've done this?" wondered Sky, aloud, as the Winx came running up. Upon seeing the remains, they gasped and looked away momentarily, mentally scarred for life. After recovering, Bloom took a closer look at the mutilated face, her eyebrows furrowing. Her eyes widened as she recognised the face.

She turned to the others. "It's Charlie," she said, in a voice just above a whisper.

Roxy turned to see Miss Greta running up and alerted the Winx. They ran to tell her what they had found, leaving Roxy and the Specialists. As Roxy finally got her first look at the dismembered body, she found the answer to Sky's question.

It had been a werewolf. And Roxy knew it had been her.

**Thanks for reading, favouriting and following! Miss Greta isn't an OC, she's the owner of the White Horse cafe, which appears in the Winx comics and it was where Bloom got her first job in Magix. Charlie, is also not an OC, and might be someone who works there, but I couldn't remember the name of the guy who helps Miss Greta out, so I just threw in that name, but it's something along those lines.  
**

** Please review.**


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